Tuesday's Technique, Tool, or Tutorial...

It's a TOOL today!

I want to share one of my most favorite tools with you today...it's called a Paper Piercing Tool. I most of the time use it along with the Mat Pack, but on this card I used it by itself to create (2) holes to run my Hemp Twine thru. This is such a sweet card that my friend Karen Reid shared with us at our last SW Demo Meeting earlier this month. It uses the Star Punch for the banner flags and I used a piece of the Designer Paper Stack in Subtles, and the A Word For You Set - THANKS KAREN!

Below you will find the information on this wonderful tool.

Have a terrific Tuesday - I'm off for a long 15 hour day today of working the polling booths - make sure to vote!

Paper-Piercing Tool

#116631
$3.50
Create tiny, precisely-spaced holes on any paper using our steel paper-piercing tool. You can use it along with the template in the mat pack to create precisely spaced, perfectly aligned holes.
■ 3-1/2" handle with 3/4" piercing tip
■ Includes storage tube and protective cap
■ Can be used with the paper piercing template in the mat pack or with the paper-piercing guides on Classy Brass templates

CLICK HERE TO ORDER ANY OF THE ABOVE ITEMS

Tuesday's Technique, Tool, or Tutorial...

It's a Tool - and one of my favorites!

I love using SU! Grid Paper #102787 - $9.95 (100 sheets)

Protect your work area while stamping and scrapping.

Also measure items with the 1/4" Grid

Can be reversed for a non-grid surface

11x17 - which makes it TERRIFIC when using wheels & stamps, especially on 12x12 pages

100 sheets (and you can use both sides)

Tuesday's Technique, Tool, or Tutorial...

Today it's a Technique using a Tool!

Are you completely confused yet??? Well today I'm going to share a technique with you called "Paper Pleating".

I joined a card swap in January and these two cards are ones that I received back. Both have a technique that is becoming popular with paper crafters. It is called "Paper Pleating" and I'm going to give a tutorial on it below.

CARD BY: Diane Harman

CARD BY: Amanda Harbison (one of my South West Demonstrator Team Members!)

Paper Pleating is very easy and not time consuming at all - so let's get started.

Start with a Border Punch of your choice and a I'm using a strip of CS 1"x11". This is the perfect size to go around the Large Oval Punch. If you wanted to use something larger...just piece smaller pieces together.

Punch out your strip with your Border Punch.

Run it through your crimper.

I ran it through (3) times. What this does is it breaks down the paper fibers in the CS, and makes it workable.

On the backside of your piec, put a strip of Red Sticky Tape.

Start by placing one end on your cut out piece. Work it around creating small pleats in the paper as you work it around your punched out image.

NOTE: If you were not using a cut out or punched out image and you want to use it directly on a card...do the same thing creating small pleats going straight across your card.

Then you will end up with something similair to these cards. I used the Vintage Vogue Set and Coordinating Wheel. I hope you'll try this technique on one of your projects soon!

HAPPY CREATING - Kendra

Tuesday's Technique, Tool, or Tutorial...

Today it's a TOOL!

This is our SU! Hobby Blade & Refills

#102449 - $4.50

The Stampin' Up! Hobby Blade features a rear-release blade for easy blade replacement and the hex nut on the end of the knife keeps it from rolling. It has a cushioned handle to reduce hand fatigue, comes in a convenient storage tube, and can be used with any self-healing mat.

I love my hobby blade! It has come in handy if I need to trim the smallest thing to cutting slits in card stock. Keep this in mind to add to your little bag of crafting tools!

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

TUTORIAL: Preparing, Mounting, & Stamping with our Newest Items...

Clear Mount Rubber Stamp Sets and Acrylic Blocks.

When you purchase Clear Mount Rubber Stamps, this is how they will come...in a CD case for perfect storage.
On the spine will be the name of the stamp set as well as pictures for easy recognition & storage.

When you open your CD case...this is what you'll see. An instruction sheet on the left, and the foam rubber stamps and optional sticker sheet on the right.
To assemble your Clear Mount Rubber Stamps...first punch out all your rubber pieces.
Next take your sticker sheet and one of your rubber pieces that you want to work with.
Peel away the matching stickers top layer of paper , exposing the sticker.

Next, remove the paper backing from the rubber piece.

Next line up your rubber piece on your sticker...pressing firmly.

Next firmly press your rubber stamp to the back of the CD case.

When you finish with all the pieces repeating the steps above...your set will look similar to this one.

This is the front of the CD case.

This is a shot of what the back will look like after you have all your pieces assembled and stored correctly.

Here you can see how easily these stamps sets can store. They do not take as much room as regular wood mount sets, and on the spine you have easy recognition with the name of the set and pictures.

Here you can see the (9) different sizes of Acrylic Blocks we offer. Our blocks are etched with their individual letter for easy identification of size, and also have the SU! name etched on it. They all have grooves for finger placement for ease of stamping, on all four sides of the Acrylic Block. They are 3/4" thick and are very sturdy.

One of the great benefit of this type of stamp is that you can use more than one image at a time to create a scene or collage. Above you can see how I mounted (3) rubber images and lined them up so they could all be stamped at once.

Here are a couple of cards I made using my new Clear Mount Rubber Stamps. Because they are rubber and not acrylic stamps...they accept the ink very evenly and stamp beautifully just like our wood mount sets. I was very impressed with how easy these sets are to put together & how fast and easy it was to create the scenes on these cards above. It was great to stamp more than one image at a time - very efficiant!!!

Please let me know if you have any questions concerning the new Clear Mount Stamp Sets or our great new Acrylic Blocks. Call me if you'd like to come over and try them for self or if you'd like to book a workshop where you and your friends can create a special project using these newest items:)

HAPPY STAMPING - Kendra

P.S. - If you read the post from Sunday Jan. 3rd, you know I broke down and bought the "Something Sweet" set...just had to have it after seeing what everyone else was doing with it!

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

Today it's a Tutorial/Pattern share for you. I'd like to let you know that I found this cute "Cracker" or we here in the states call them "poppers" on United Kingdom Demonstrator's site - Abi Bundy. Below is her picture of her "Cracker" and the link she provided for the pattern/tutorial.

You can download the pattern for this "Cracker" HERE!

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

Tuesday's Tool - Digital Downloads

Since My Digital Studio's Release in October, SU! has come out with several Digital Downloads for individual purchase. You do not have to have the My Digital Studio CD/Program in order to use these downloads. Stampin' Up's downloads are compatible with any photo editing software that you may already have. The great thing about having the My Digital Studio...is that you have access to over 2000 images from the current Mini & Catalog, to past mini's and retired catalogs all at your fingertips. These items above are just a few of the new digital downloads you can get by clicking HERE!

Happy Creating - Kendra

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

Today it's a TOOL! I'd like to share an experience with you. The other day I needed a card and only had about 20 minutes before I needed to walk out the door to an event. I spent most of that time creating a beautiful card befitting the occasion...only to make a horrible mistake at the very last possible minute. I did not have enough time to restart my card and I wanted a very special card for the recipiant! So a thought came to my mind. My card base that I made the mistake on was Whisper White Card Stock. I thought to myself...I wonder what would happen if I took my Aqua Painter brush filled with bleach to that very small portion of the card where I inadvertantly got ink??? So I always have one of my aqua painters filled with straight liquid bleach for using it on bleached technique projects, and I tried to see if it would take away that ink. I was estactic with the out come - it took the ink right off and my card was as if it had never happened! So the next time you make a mistake and can bleach it out - try it!

Aqua Painter
#103954
Preferred Price: $16.95
This wonderful tool is versatile and easy to use, and works great with Stampin' Up! Watercolor Pencils, Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Classic Stampin' Pads, and other mediums to pull and blend colors.

■ 2 painters included per package:12 mm and 15 mm brush sizes

■ Portable and easy to use

■ Reservoir holds 8 cc of liquid

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

Join me today in watching a quick video highlighting projects you can make using the Big Shot and the Big Shot Dies. Jaron Windor shares three great ideas using these tools & some great techniques that are sure to spark some ideas for you!

Click HERE to see the video & have a great Tuesday.

Happy Creating - Kendra

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

Today it's a tool!

Use this link as a great tool to help you with your holiday decorating, place settings, gift giving, and those extra special personal touches. Click on the link above (picture) to take you to our Holiday Gift-Giving Guide. You will find lots of ideas to use in your home decor for dressing up the house for the holidays as well as many gift giving ideas and you can give dear hubby a few hints!!!

ALSO - right now there is a special when you purchase $50.00 or more in merchandise from the gift-giving guide...you get to choose a Decor Element for Free. (Up to $16.95)

SO CHECK IT OUT TODAY!

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

Today's Tutorial shows you ideas on how to use the Pirate & Princess kits from the Deal of the Week! Click on picture above to take you to the video tutorial!

Happy Creating,

Kendra

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

Today's spotlight is on a tool - that I personally could not live with out in my everyday stamping bag!!! Because I'm human and make mistakes...yes, you all know I do...and for that reason I absolutely LOVE my adhesive remover (eraser). Below you will find Stampin' Up's description, but I can tell you that it has removed chalk, adhesive, and glitter from where I did not want it! So add one to your bag of little stamping tricks today!

Adhesive Remover
#103684
$3.50
Never worry about messy glue residue again! With this great tool, you can remove unwanted adhesive quickly and easily.■ Removes residue adhesive (but not tape) from unwanted areas■ 2” x 2” x 1/2”

Tuesday's Tool, Technique, or Tutorial...

TUTORIAL: Sweet Treat Cup Flowers

To make these darling flowers, I used the Sweet Centers Set that is in the Mini Catalog.












I used So Saffron Ink and stamped the leaves. Depending on how full you wish your flower to be...you will need between 12 & 19 petals.














Cut the petals out with scissors.












Next you will need to stamp (3) leaves with Old Olive Ink on Old Olive CS. Cut those out. (You will see more in this picture than what is needed for just one flower) Then take your sponges for your Choclate Chip & Old Olive Inks...and ink around the edges of your petals with Chocolate Chip, and your leaves with Old Olive.









Next cut a 3x3" piece of So Saffron CS. This will be your base to start building your flower on. Take your 1 3/4" Circle punch and right in the middle (measure with a ruler and make a small pencil mark for your reference) punch a circle out of it.














This picture shows the 3x3" piece and the Sweet Treat Cup. The white around the bottom rim is a piece of paper that can be removed to make this Sweet Treat Cup stick anywhere! Do not remove this yet!!!











Simply take your 3x3" CS piece and lay it over your Sweet Treat Cup.












Start with (4) petals and adhere them at 1, 5, 7, & 11 o'clock, using regular adhesive/tape or glue runner/or snail.











Then preceed with (4) more petals using regular adhesive adhering them @ 12, 3, 6, & 9. Then on your final (4) petals put Dimensionals on the back.











Place the final (4) petals using dimensionals @ 2,4,8,&,10 o'clock. Add some leaves as desired...I just used regular snail.











Cut a 2 1/4" Circle out of Chocolate Chip CS.












You will also need a skewer.










*Not shown in a picture- trim excess 3x3" piece of SO Saffron so that none of it shows from the fron except your flower petals.

Then turn your Sweet Treat Cup over, fill with the desired treat. Then peel the sticky strip protector off and stick your 2 1/4" circle on top of the sticky treat cup making sure that the circle stays within your petals!

Next use hot glue to add your skewer to your project. I added a small Scalloped Oval Tag and a 5/8" Old Olive ribbon for some added leaves.

Then stick your adorable flowers in silk or real plants, vases or planters.

They also make really cute decorations and sweet gifts!

ENJOY!

KENDRA